Beautiful Disaster
by Meganlovesjb
Summary: Darkness returns to collect the debt that Stevie Rae had left unpaid. But what happens when the only person that could ever save her, the one who was constantly saving her, isn't there anymore? A House of Night one shot; takes place after Burned.
1. Chapter 1

**Beautiful Disaster**

**Stevie-Rae/Rephiam**

**Takes place after Burned.**

**A House of Night One Sho**t

Stevie Rae walked the tunnels under the depot, humming a familiar tune as she moved at a lazy pace. It had been a few weeks since Zoey's return and things had seemed to settle down. It had been just as long since she'd see Rephiam. Stevie Rae sighed. No matter how hard she tried she couldn't keep her mind from wondering back to him, it always defied her.

She tried not to think of the ache in her chest or of the day he left—the day he had chose to demolish any chance of them ever being together. He had said they couldn't be—that it would never work. She was sure he had flown off to be with his dreadful father now that he had returned. She cringed at the thought of him surrounded by such darkness once again.

She shook her head trying to push the thoughts of him away. She hated that she couldn't go a day without thinking about him. Heck, she couldn't go a few hours without thinking about him. She hated that he was always on her mind and that she was tied to him forever—even when she couldn't be with him.

When all she wanted to do was forget, life wouldn't let her.

Stevie Rae glanced around the empty tunnels. The fledglings were all at the school. Classes had resumed, but Stevie Rae hadn't really felt up to going to school or doing much of anything lately. She hated to admit it, but she was bumming. Today, she made up some excuse to "stay home sick" and hang around the tunnels. Did red fledglings even get sick? She had never really been ill yet. She shrugged. It wasn't like Labonia or any of the others could tell whether or not she was lying. They didn't know. _There are advantages to being the first of your kind_, she thought as she continued to stroll.

She wondered the hallways, going from room to room and picking up some trash the other kids had left around, trying to make herself useful. She tried to ignore the slight cloud of darkness that still lurked in the kitchen that they had since cleared out since she collapsed it a few weeks prior.

Stupid Dallas.

Thank goddess no one had really believed his raving rants about her and he'd given up trying to convince them, resolved to shoot her disgusted looks each chance he got as their only form of communication. Stevie Rae huffed. She simply had too much on her mind—Which was probably the reason she wasn't paying much attention to anything as she wandered the tunnels, making her way back to her room.

A sudden feeling of unease filled her as she followed a familiar bend in the tunnels, one she recognized far too well. She found herself glancing over her shoulder and quickening her pace without fully realizing what she was doing.

"Oh calm down," she mumbled to herself. "You're freaking yourself out, all alone in these damn caves. You're like a little girl afraid of the dang basement at night. You control Earth for goodness sakes," she scolded herself, but was unable to calm her nerves completely.

It was then that she caught sight of something from the corner of her eye, the familiar cloud of darkness she'd known far too well right after she'd "died". If she didn't know better she might have ventured to think it was following her. She shook her head lightly.

"Ridiculous," she mumbled, turning to fully face it.

Stevie Rae fell her heart beat quicken as she realized the enormity of the amount of darkness that had accumulated behind her. A hint of fear pulsed through her veins. It began to surround her, floating closer and encasing her. Her breath hitched as panic set in, along with confusion. She didn't understand what it was doing or what it wanted.

She watched as it dissipated before her eyes before disappearing completely, leaving the menacing white bull in its place. The sight made her body freeze in fear at the mere memory of the previous torture it had inflicted upon her and then Rephiam.

Rephiam.

She blinked hard, trying to clear her thoughts, before opening her eyes to come face to face with Darkness.

"Greetings, vampyre," it seethed, circling her, as she watched it carefully.

"We meet again," she was too terrified to say anything. Stevie Rae looked around frantically, trying to figure out the best way to escape once again, not knowing if it was truly possible this time.

"I'm not quite done with you, young vampyre" It hissed.

"As I recall, the last time we met, you owed me a debt. And if my memory serves me right, which it always does, it has yet to be paid," it continued to circle Stevie Rae, eyeing her curiously. She could do nothing but watch him wide-eyed as her heart rate quickened.

"Tonight, vampire, I have come back to claim what is mine," it said coldly. "You never finished paying your debt to me, and now, it is time to pay up," he seethed.

"And for your stupidity, I will destroy you," he added in a harsh tone. "I will leave you alive so you will always remember the mistake you made when you foolishly thought you could outwit Darkness. But this time, I will be cruel. Believe me red one, I will show no mercy."

"H-How," was all she could manage

The bull let out a dark chuckle. "You conjured me last time. This time I was able to use the passage way you provided to this world as well as the darkness that still surrounds you to enter it once again," it explained simply.

"Be more careful which doors you open, young one, as they are not always so easily closed," He warned, stepping closer to her. "As for the rest, you'll find out soon enough."

There was barely time for her stomach to drop and her face to run pale before she felt the first familiar sting against her skin. Stevie Rae cried out in pain at the unexpected attack. Her mind, like it always did went to the only person who stood a chance at helping her—the one who had saved her last time. "He won't be able to save you this time," the bull hissed at her, reading her thoughts and invading her mind, before she was stung with another lash. "I am much stronger and my defences not as weak. I plan to take my time with you," its tone was cold.

It wasn't long before she felt him touching her again, feeding from her blood in the horrendous way he had last time, pain shooting through her body.

The lashes continued and he drank until she was weak, too weak to fight any longer and barely strong enough to cry out.

She couldn't help herself; she could only call his name over and over in her head, hoping he would hear her. She knew they were still imprinted, that she was tied to his humanity, but she had no idea how far away he was. She was sure he was halfway across the world; he couldn't get back in time. He wouldn't come back even if he could. He didn't want to come back. The last bit of hope she'd been holding onto faltered at the realization.

It was selfish of her to wish for his help anyways. She didn't want him to. She saw what he had been willing to do. She never wanted to see him hurt in the way she had seen him before, never wanted to cause that pain again. Yet his name, his scent, merely the thought of his embrace, these were things she held onto for strength, even if she knew it was empty hope she was holding on to. She tried meekly to conjure earth but could barely move, let alone think through the pain. The pure terror coursing through her veins had stopped her from even thinking about it until now.

Another harsh lash to her skin broke her from her thoughts as she cried out weakly again. She glanced down briefly and noticed that her jeans had completely been torn away this time, leaving her only in her panties, and there wasn't much left of her shirt to speak of.

The bull slowed his movements and came to stand beside her, so close she cringed away. "You thought you would be safe down here with so much earth to surround you? You though wrong child. So young and naive. I am far stronger than you, as I proved the last time, until that abomination of a creature showed up," the bull spat.

"What did he say? You were his?" he scoffed.

"Where is he now then?" The bull taunted, licking her skin again as she turned her head away from him and winced.

There was a strange feeling in the air as she felt the darkness become stronger. Stevie Rae dared to glace back in the direction of the bull after a moment only to find a man standing where it once was.

He was muscular, menacing and dangerous looking. When Stevie Rae looked into his eyes she had never seen anything so cold and empty. Hate and cruelty radiated form them. She could see nothing else in his eyes. A strange line of white tattoo's trailed his arm, and he was completely naked from head to toe, but Stevie Rae couldn't see much else through her tear filled eyes and the pain that surrounded her.

"What..." she whispered in confusion.

"Darkness, some would argue, is the most powerful tool that can be harnessed on this earth," his town was hard as he knelt down beside her. "It is evil in its purist form. Is the possibility that I may be able to us it to change forms so hard to believe?" He raised a menacing eyebrow to her questioningly. She didn't know what to say, the pain continued to pulse through her as she struggled to keep her breath even and not pass out from its intensity.

"What do you want from me? You said you would leave me alive. I can't take much more," she choked out between sobs as she glanced up at him pleadingly from where she lay on the ground too weak to move. The effort of speaking left her panting.

"Oh I'm not nearly finished yet, young vampire," he smirked deviously.

"I told you I was capable of brutality beyond your wildest imagination and I told you that you would pay and I would show no mercy. I told you I would break you and destroy you in every way I could. That was just step one," he breathed, before he leaned forward, using his tongue to wipe up the last of the blood on her arm. Stevie Rae cringed and he moaned at the taste.

She saw his hungry eyes on her, scanning her body beneath him, as she lay there in not much more than her undergarments. The white hot fear that had momentarily subsided as he slowed his attack on her rekindled within her as she caught sight of the sickening glimmer in his eye.

"You know," he cooed, bringing a hand down onto the cut and battered skin of her upper leg, causing her to whimper, "In human form I am quite vulnerable to the desires of a man," he chuckled darkly as his hand snaked up her thigh. Her breathing became hysterical as she began to hyperventilate.

"Please," she begged in a whisper.

He looked up, smiling darkly. For the first time she let her tears spill over freely, unable to contain them anymore as she let out a loud sob. He merely watched her amused, his eyes holding her. "It's too late, girl," he said coldly.

In a flash his body was hovering over hers, his hands trailing the cut skin of her torso as she cried out with each bit of contact, withering beneath him best she could. She didn't know she had the strength but she found herself fighting him to the point where he had to physically hold her down, grabbing both of her hands in one of his and pinning them above her head.

He breathed hoarsely as his fingers brushed her bra clad breasts. She whimpered as her stomach turned at his touch. He ripped her bra off of her in one quick motion, ripping it in half with little effort. His mouth found her breasts biting down on the nipples hard, causing her to cry out loudly in pain.

"Please," she begged again. "Stop."

He merely chuckled at her pleas and his hand moved its way down her body brushing her core. She felt like she was going to be sick and had to literally hold herself back from convulsing as he explored the region with his hands before stroking himself a few times quickly.

Stevie Rae let sobs rack her body as she realized what was next. She thought of Rephiam. She thought of his laugh, the laugh only she had ever heard. She thought of the amused glimmer in his eye when she said something foolish or embarrassing in front of him. She took refuge in the thought of him.

"No!" The familiar voice cried from somewhere behind the creature whose body was holding her to the ground. His voice made her heart leap hopefully and break at the same time.

He couldn't be here. She wouldn't let him get hurt for her again.

"Rephiam," she breathed. "You have to leave," she whispered with great effort. He stepped closer into view, and the look on his face told her that he had heard her plea.

The pain that crossed his face was unlike anything she'd ever seen. It broke her heart.

"And so he has come back for more. Foolish," the creature seethed, reluctantly standing, leaving her to try and cover her chest in a useless effort with her arms. What little blood that remained in her body rose to her cheeks at Rephiam's presence.

"You have mere moments to leave before I kill you both," the creature warned, stepping towards Stevie Rae.

"I will not take pleasure in killing the son of an immortal, so I advise you leave; she is not your concern."

"She is my concern. She's always been my concern," Rephiam said sternly, his human like eyes turning to meet mine again.

"Then you will both die," the creature of darkness said regrettably. "When I am finished with her," he added, before Stevie Rae saw darkness surround Rephiam and push him against the closest wall, wrapping around him tightly like a misty rope, as he struggled frantically to break free.

"You are both foolish, you underestimate my power," he said, walking back towards Stevie Rae, a dark look crossing his face. He climbed on top of her again, his hand reaching down to quickly discard her panties in one swift movement.

She winced, tilting her head to look at Rephiam helplessly, to take comfort in the sight of him and not the monster above her. His pain filled eyes stared right back at her helplessly.

"You have to fight," he yelled, as he tugged against the misty confines surrounding him.

"Remember how brave you were before, remember how you used your element," he encouraged frantically.

She felt a finger shoved inside of her roughly and she cried out, screaming as he intruded her, never having been penetrated there before. She began to sob harder as she weakly shoved the chest hovering above her.

"I can't," she sobbed, no longer able to meet Rephiam's eyes, shame filling her. She felt dirty right down to her core.

"You can," she heard his voice break for the first time since she had known him.

"You are so strong. You have to try," he begged her.

Stevie Rae couldn't handle the pain she was causing him another second. She could handle her own pain, but his she couldn't bear.

"Earth," she whispered weakly.

"Don't even try it," the man above her seethed, backhanding her across the face. She whimpered lightly but was determined not to give up. She heard Rephiam's distinct hiss in the background.

"Please, help me," was all she could manage. Her connection with the element was so strong that she suddenly smelled the familiar scent of a meadow surround her.

"Lend me your strength and free Rephiam," she breathed. She envisioned the element entering her and strengthening her, but she was so week it only helped a small bit. She pushed the creature above her as hard as she could manage as she struggled to squirm away from him.

She saw Rephiam somehow escape the grasp of darkness from the corner of her eye as she fought to move away from the creature that was now looking at her with such menacing anger, she could barely meet his gaze.

"I am not finished with you yet," he hissed.

Stevie Rae looked up wide-eyed to See Rephiam standing over Darkness' shoulder. "Yesss, you are," he hissed, his animalistic side taking over, anger flaring in his eyes, unlike anything she had ever seen before.

Stevie weakly tried to push herself away from the threat in front of her, by natural instinct and cover herself up meekly as she knew how humiliatingly exposed she was.

There was a flash of movement in front of her, the flapping of wings, animalistic hisses and then there was nothing. Stevie Rae's injuries and blood loss finally took over and she fell into unconsciousness, fighting it until the end, her body taking control.

* * *

The first thing Stevie Rae heard when she woke was a soft shuffling beside her. The first thing she felt was the softness of a blanket, most likely two or three, beneath her. And the first thing she saw when her eyes fluttered open was his worried expression—his too human eyes gazing down at her, boring into her soul. They reminded her so much of the glimpse she had gotten of him in the fountain, his pure beauty.

She smiled weakly in an attempt to ease the worry evident in his features, anything to ease his pain. What she didn't realize was how much pure pain she was in. She shifted, trying to sit up but winced and faltered.

In a flash his soft hand was on her back supporting her while she regained her balance, and then helping her lean against the wall.

"Stay still," he whispered, almost afraid of hurting her if his words were too loud. She looked so vulnerable and broken in his eyes.

She glanced around quickly, noting they were in the basement of the museum, where she would heal faster so close to the earth. They were in the place Rephiam had called home for a short period of time... before he left. She pushed the thought away, noting one of the sheets covering her body. She blushed, pulling it closer, realizing it was the only thing she was wearing.

"You came back," she choked, her voice breaking, as she stared down at the blanket, her hand fiddling with it.

"No," he said sternly. Not for good, she thought.

"I never left," he admitted breathlessly.

She looked up meeting his eyes in shock. His expression was curious as he watched her, moving from his kneeling position to sit beside her gently, but it was nothing else—blank and unreadable as always.

"What?" was all she could manage.

There was a twinkle of amusement in his eyes and she swore she saw the beginning of what would be a smile or at least a smirk tugging at his cheeks, if he had a mouth to smile with.

"I couldn't leave you," he whispered. Her heart skipped a beat. She shifted unconsciously towards him at his words, but winced again in pain at the movement. She then glanced down again, fully examining her wounds. She was covered in cuts and scratches, they burned endlessly. She was bruised, soar everywhere, but what hurt the most was the area between her legs where _it_ had invaded her, even if only slightly.

She then looked back up at Rephiam as she blinked away the tears threatening to spill from her eyes. He surprisingly seemed in good health. He was a little scratched up, but his wing remained intact, and his movements did not seem painful.

"Thank you," she whispered, only able to meet his gaze long enough to say the words.

He didn't say anything at first.

"That would be the third time you've saved my life," she added quickly.

"His intentions were not to kill you, you are not in my debt, Stevie Rae," he said sternly.

"I fear what you stopped him from doing would have been far worse," she admitted, looking anywhere but his human, watchful eyes.

"It sickens me to think about, it hurting you like that" he admitted quietly, anger flaring in his tone. There was a beat of silence, both of them lost in thought.

"How did you do it?" she asked suddenly.

He shifted slightly before her. "I am stronger now that my father has returned," he shrugged, before looking down slightly ashamed, an emotion I was not used to when it came to Rephiam. "I also called on the darkness that surrounded me to chase him off," he said softly.

He thought she would be upset with him. "I didn't want to, but there was no other way."

"That's all that matters," that he didn't want to use darkness, that he was still choosing light. It shocked her really with the return of his father, that he hadn't run off to join him, to sit at his side once again as his favourite.

She continued to avert her gaze as she took a few deep breaths, trying to calm the dull pain that seemed to be everywhere at once.

There was a long moment of silence between them as she shifted painfully, tugging at the blanket with her cut hands.

"You can't even look at me," Rephiam suddenly said in a sadden tone. She couldn't recall ever seeing such a range of emotions come from him. He was different, changing. She suddenly realized what he must think and her eyes widened. She did meet his then, trying to reassure him.

"No," She breathed. "I'm not angry with you, Rephiam. That's—that's not why," She sputtered out.

"I'm sorry," Stevie Rae sighed, pulling her knees to her chest and hugging them for comfort despite the pain it caused.

She put her head in her hands, shamefully for a moment as she breathed deeply, trying to calm her racing emotions.

"What are you so ashamed of?" He asked, too intuitive for his own good.

She sighed, tugging on her hair lightly in frustration. She had to ask him.

"Rephiam, can I ask you something?" She said quietly, forcing herself to meet his gaze. He nodded apprehensively.

She shifted her weight slightly. "Zoey's Grandmother knows a lot about legends and myths and all that stuff, and she... may have mentioned something about raven mockers," she paused, gauging his reaction. He waited patiently. "She said that they were capable of, well, what he, but you didn't let..." she was unable to say it. Rephiam shifted uneasily, understanding.

"Rape," he finished for her, steadily.

She nodded stiffly. "She said most of them have...done it..."

"And you want to know if I too have ever participated in such a thing," he stated, not as a question but as a fact.

Stevie Rae nodded hesitantly, nervously balling the blanket in her fists.

Rephiam looked away from her, unable to hold her gaze as he spoke.

"I have committed the unforgivable act that you were almost a victim of tonight," he said it so quietly, so shamefully, she wasn't sure she heard him correctly. She remained quiet, stiffening at his words.

"You must understand," he breathed. "It is our way of life. We live on instinct. We are not taught right wrong, we take what we want and what we need. Humans are beneath us, worth nothing. We have no remorse. Evil has no bounds when you live with a fallen dark immortal. Never before have I felt sympathy, compassion or guilt for my actions until I met you. I've never regretted a moment in my life, and suddenly that is all my existence seems to be made of."

She listened to him, letting him speak, trying not to judge, knowing he was speaking the truth. He didn't know any better, well he knew it was wrong, but wrong had always been right in his world. She tried not to look at him differently, but still found herself unable to look up.

His tone turned cold and hard, emotionless. "Do you fear me?" He asked her quickly.

"I know I should a lot of the time, but I don't," she met his sombre gaze.

"You should," he agreed. "With no effort at all I could end your life. I could hurt you. I know all the time that I am risking everything by having you in my life, you know too much. I know I should have killed you long ago. A few short weeks ago I would have felt no remorse for those actions. "

"And now?" She asked.

He hesitated. "Now, I fear it would cause me much pain to harm you, more that it caused me to see you hurt tonight."

"I think of the things I have done," he paused. "They now appal me because of you. I've never felt remorse, never apologized. You make me want to do that. You make me feel."

The memory of a struggling mortal girl beneath him flashed through his mind and made him wince.

"I fear, Stevie Rae, that I could never hurt you. I should be able to hurt you, but I know I can't and will never be able to. That scares me more than you can imagine. I've never cared about someone other than my father. There has never been a life I wouldn't end for him, to protect what we are, until now."

"I can't even be apart from you. I've grown so fond of you that I couldn't even leave you to return to him, afraid of losing whatever it is that we had," he admitted, shifting closer to her.

"And when I saw you tonight, when I saw what that thing was doing to you, how it had hurt you, what it was so close to doing to you...I have never in my life felt such rage," his temper faired as his voice became passionate.

"It wasn't allowed to touch you like that. It hurt me so badly to watch, to see what it was doing and not be able to help."

"But you did help," she assured him.

"You fought Darkness for me, _again_, and brought me here to heal. You brought me to safety. You stopped it, and thank god," she choked. "Because, Rephiam if you hadn't stopped it when you did. If you hadn't encouraged me and given me the strength to call Earth, I—I," the tears finally sprang free, the realization of what had happened to her hitting hard. "I wouldn't have been able to handle it. I've never and he—and I—"

"I know," he cut her off, steadily reassuring her.

"And you saw me, and he was, I—naked," she stuttered, her face flushing through the tears. "I didn't want that."

He tensed, his body stiffening.

_I'm sure you didn't want his filthy hands all over you either,_ Rephiam thought, but bit his tongue.

"Stevie Rae," he whispered. "I am not fully a man, but what I did she is nothing to be embarrassed or ashamed of. The man in me knows that you are beautiful," he whispered.

It was then that Rephiam shocked her by doing something he had never done before. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a comforting embrace. Sure, they had shared hugs, he had held her as he flew, but never had he just held her to make her feel better. Never had he held her because he wanted to, because it brought her comfort. He had always fought the urge when it arose, but now, he couldn't fight it anymore.

She winced slightly as his arms tightened around her, but she didn't care. She cried quietly, loving the comfort his touch brought. She buried her head in his chest, feeling the soft feathers there, the softness oddly comforting. He carefully lifted his head as to not harm her further with his beak. She winced slightly in his embrace.

"You're hurt," he breathed regretfully, loosening his grip. She panicked, grabbing tightly onto his arm, not letting him pull away. He gave her a questioning gaze.

"I—don't," she breathed. He sighed lightly.

"It pains me to see you like this," he admitted, reaching up to wipe her tears away gently with his human fingers. She leaned into his touch, closing her eyes for a moment to imagine that he really was fully human. To imagine what it would be like if he held her in the human form she had seen once before. She imagined how easy it would be to truly be with him if only he were human. But she knew nothing would ever be easy about the relationship they shared.

She clung to him again, and he wrapped his arm around her once again as she snuggled into his large body. She relaxed completely in the arms of evil, in the arms of a creature that should've been her enemy. His touch felt so—right.

"I didn't know what to do," he admitted slowly, reaching down to gently touch her cut arm.

"You were so injured," he sounded pained. "I knew you healed exceptionally fast and that you would probably be okay, just uncomfortable. I couldn't take you back to the school, so I just brought you down here so you could be with your earth, and with me," he said the last word so softly she barely heard him.

"You should go though," he sighed regrettably. "Back to the school where you can be taken care of and healed properly. You need blood and rest and a bed. You don't need dirty sheets and a beast watching over you," he said softly. "There is a phone upstairs; you could call one of your friends..."

"No," She insisted, cutting him off. "I just want to stay here with you," She pleaded.

"Stevie, Rae, you need blood to heal," He reasoned, watching her carefully.

"I'll be fine; don't make me go; please," She begged urgently.

Stevie Rae met his dark eyes, and they didn't scare her. She grasped his torso tighter and she did not cringe away. She locked one of her hands with his and it didn't feel wrong. It felt strangely normal.

What surprised her most was he did not pull away and he did not stop her, for the first time, Rephiam was accepting her touch.

"You are weak, you are in pain, you need to heal," he insisted.

"I'm fine," she begged.

He was quiet for a moment. "Drink from me," he whispered.

She glanced up at him wide-eyed.

"No, Rephiam. I know you've been hurt too and I...I don't think"

"You've done it before," he reasoned.

"I know but...I'll be fine," She was now so oddly attracted to him that she was afraid of what might happen if she agreed to drink from him, if this time it would stir something inside of her that she wasn't ready for.

Much like the last time, he simply didn't give her a choice. He cut his arm with his beak and grabbed her head roughly at first, but his touch softening when he felt her let out a shaky breath. He brought it to his skin as he pulled her closer to him, cradling her in the softness of his feathers.

"Drink," he ordered. Stevie Rae acted on instinct as the scent of the blood surrounded her. It smelt wrong as always, but the promise of the delicious, intoxicating taste she knew came with it was too much to resist in her weakened state and she found her lips on his flesh in mere seconds.

The familiar taste filled her senses and she found herself stifling a moan. Rephiam hissed beneath her and she hated to admit that enjoyed the sound. The hand that supported her head moved to her hair, tangling in it brushing down her neck, causing her to shiver in pleasure.

The experience, which had not exactly been a sexual one last time, seemed to be turning into one quickly this time. A burning need took over her body, pleasure coursing through her with each second. She drank greedily, feeling her strength returning slowly.

Rephiam growled a low animalistic sound of pleasure and she shivered again at the sound. She gripped his arm with hers, running her hand up to his bicep, feeling the muscles there, unable to stop herself from touching him as her breath quickened. She felt him flex at her touch, stiffening slightly before relaxing against her.

She felt the blanket slide down her torso slightly as she pressed herself into him, shifting to sit closer to him, between his legs, pressing her body to his, but she didn't care. She felt the flesh of her chest press against his feathers and it thrilled her, the heat of their bodies touching.

She pulled away, gasping for breath, knowing she'd taken enough and that he was injured too, needing his partly immortal blood to heal. She worried may have gone a little too long, unable to stop herself and the pleasure she felt.

"Sorry," she panted, not really sure which part of what had just happened she was apologizing for.

He grabbed her chin and tilted it up gently so she was forced to meet his eyes, those all knowing eyes.

"Do not apologize for that which is beyond your control," he said sternly, keeping his eyes on hers as he reached down to pull the blanket back up her torso. She blushed a brighter colour of red, if that was possible and clutched it, wrapping it around herself again, tighter.

"Thank you," was all she could manage. _For everything_, the words went left unspoken.

He nodded. "It's a good thing you stopped when you did," he said softly.

She gave him a curious glance, still sitting comfortably in his lap, her body close to his as he held her. She placed a hand on his soft chest as she looked up.

"Why?" She asked softly.

"I almost lost all control. Another few seconds and I may have done something regrettable."

"What do you mean?" she asked timidly.

"It felt quite...pleasurable," he said softly. "When you tasted me."

"For me too," she admitted. "More than last time."

"Yes," he agreed.

"It's supposed to be that way," she said pointedly.

He nodded.

"I don't think I would have minded, had you acted on your instincts," she admitted sheepishly.

"Don't talk like that, Stevie Rae," he said carefully, almost harshly.

"Like what?"

"Don't say things like that about...us."

"I'm only speaking the truth."

"Well don't." He said harshly, his tone softening as he met her hurt gaze.

"The two of us together, this, will only end in disaster."

"How can something this beautiful be a disaster? How can my heart beat for you like this—how can it feel so right and be so wrong?" She pleaded, trying to make him understand.

He hesitated. "If I was the boy in the reflection, the human boy you are so infatuated with, I could treat you right. I could be with you. But I am not," he said sadly, his heart breaking as he spoke.

"You could be. There has to be a way. Nyx wouldn't have shown you what could be if it wasn't possible," she paused. "It is not him I am infatuated with; it is you, any form of you. Your heart, and your soul."

"No, Stevie Rae, it will never be." He said harshly.

"I refuse to believe that." She persisted stubbornly.

"Please, don't do this, not right now. I do not wish to fight," he hesitated. "You should return to the House of Night. You need to heal," he said softly, glancing at the dirt wall in front of them. She glanced down at her battered and bruised body, noting that it was healing, that the cuts weren't as deep and the throbbing less evident, that the burning between her legs had calmed, but also that she was still hurt pretty badly.

She swallowed hard. "Will-will you be here, if I come back tomorrow...or the next day," she stuttered out.

"If you come back tomorrow, I will be upset with you." His tone was cold. Her heart dropped.

She pulled away from him, shifting painfully in his arms so that she wasn't sitting so intimately with him. His gaze found hers again and she saw the pain in his eyes that she knew he would find in hers. "Come to me in a few days time when you have rested and healed. Then I will be here, waiting for you," he promised softly.

She blinked back tears.

He held her gaze steadily, brushing the messy hair from her face. "Where else would I go?" He asked pointedly.

"Home," she choked out.

"Is with you," he said sternly.

"You belong to me," he added after a moment.

Her heart leapt.

"But you said—"

"That we couldn't be. Not that we couldn't be friends or that I didn't need you in my life."

"But it'll be too hard. I won't be able..." she swallowed hard, fighting back tears again.

He brought his hand to her lips, silencing her. He closed his eyes tightly for a long moment before opening them once again to meet hers. "Stevie Rae, it pains me that it is impossible for us to be together," he said slowly.

"But it's not," she pleaded.

"It is," he said slowly, silencing her again with his rough fingers.

"You are hurt, it has been a difficult day; let us talk about this the next time we speak. Go home, heal."

"But my home is with you!" She echoed his words. "You belong to me."

He laughed lightly, a sound that brought joy to her heart. "I do," he whispered. "More than you'll ever know," he said painfully. "Now please, go back and rest," he pleaded with her, his hand gently cupping her face.

Stevie Rae nodded hesitantly. She leaned lightly on his shoulder as she stood with a wince, crying out lightly in pain. In a flash he was gripping her arm, helping her to stand before he stood himself and supported her.

He brought her a phone and she called Karmisha to come get her. She was unwilling to worry Zoey further; she always had so much on her plate.

She smiled meekly handing him the phone back, which he merely placed on the ground before he hesitated. A moment later he scooped her into his strong arms and started walking her towards the museum entrance. The ice storm was over, power was still being returned to the city, the museum wasn't a priority and had yet to be prepared, but she knew it wouldn't be long before she had to find another place for him to stay.

She winced silently in his arms as he ascended the stairs, snuggling into his warm and comfortable feathers.

"Sorry," he breathed. She watched him curiously, gazing up at him from his arms where he carried her bridal style. She didn't recall ever hearing him apologize before. "I do not mean to hurt you," he said softly.

"I know," she whispered. She glanced down at the blanket that was still wrapped around her.

"Do you think we could find a shirt somewhere in here?" She asked quietly, her face flushing slightly.

She heard a low growl escape his throat. He tensed at the memory of the reason they were together once again.

He set her down gently, leaving her to lean against a wall upstairs. "Wait here," he ordered before taking off down a hallway.

He returned a few minutes later with a large men's dress shirt. He handed it to her and she took it gratefully. He glanced away as she slipped it on and buttoned it up before removing the blanket she had wrapped underneath. It fell to her mid thigh but at least it provided some coverage.

She blushed at how exposed she was once again and how ugly she looked battered and bruised like this. She curled in on herself, crossing her arms across her chest self-consciously.

"Don't" she heard Rephiam growl from where he was watching her, just feet away.

"You're beautiful," he said softly.

"I'll forever hold a grudge for what darkness did to you," he growled. "Should I ever meet it again, rest assured it won't end well for that creature," he spat, anger blazing in his now bright red eyes.

Before Stevie Rae could answer she saw Zoey's bug full up outside the museum doors. Karmisha was behind the wheel, a curious expression on her face. Stevie Rae tensed and hesitated, before limping towards Rephiam where he instantly caught her arm to support her.

She wrapped her arms around him tightly, burying her head in his chest. This time as they parted, he returned the hug gently.

"Thank you," she whispered, before turning to leave.

"Until We Meet Again," he added softly as she nodded before exiting the museum doors, and stepping out of Rephiam's life once again. But only for a while, she told herself. Smiling despite the cool air that surrounded her as she stumbled towards the car.

* * *

**Okay, I think it's clear that I made up a whole bunch of shit. You don't need to call me out on it. This is just my spin on things after Burned, and a scene I so badly wanted to explore within the characters. I don't know how I did staying in their characters, but I tried. I made Stevie Rae a little more serious and mature than she would normally be, but she bugs me sometimes so sorry lol. This is a Stevie Rae I can stand. Also I know the bull invaded their thoughts in the book, but I kind of liked the idea of him choosing to actually speak this time, so I chose to give him dialogue. So yeah don't rip on me for details guys I know I changed stuff and made shit up, but let me know what you thought.**

**Also, fics won't be updated for a bit, I'm sorry. I'll be away for the week; a family member is having a serious operation out of town.**

**I was also thinking about doing a second part, maybe experimenting with the idea of Rephiam becoming human and them having a relationship...maybe a physical relationship?**

**Anyone interested? Let me know.**

**-Meg**


	2. Chapter 2

**Part Two**

_Takes place after Awakened. _

Stevie Rae found herself unable to stop smiling; despite the way her life seemed to be an unending mess of relentless problems, her heart swelled with joy.

Rephiam was human, and he was hers, truly hers. He was free, free to walk the path of light beside her for all of eternity, and the thought made her giddy with glee.

She glanced sidelong at him, gripping his hand tighter still, if that was even possible. She hadn't let go since he had grasped it as they left the House of Night, and now as they pushed their way through the dark tunnels of the depot, towards her room, she found herself unable to believe he was walking beside her.

Stevie Rae wondered at the fact that he wasn't going anywhere. She sighed contently, unable to stop herself.

Rephiam glanced at her, catching her warm gaze. He grinned, a true human grin, something that she would never get used to, its beauty engulfing her.

She pulled him along as they finally entered the doorway of her room, tugging him behind the sheet that served as her makeshift door and into the modest room she called her own. It was little more than a decent sized bed and some shelves, but it was hers.

"This is yours?" He asked, studying the surroundings intently, soaking in every bit of her he could find, and learning all that he could. Rephiam studied the titles of the books that adorned her bookshelf, and glanced at a small MacBook computer in the corner.

"Ours," she corrected. "You will be here with me from now on," she whispered the words, almost unable to believe they were true.

He grinned, glancing at the dirt floors and walls surrounding him, so out of his element. He was hesitant, still feeling like an intruder, yet he knew that the feeling was irrational in her eyes.

Rephiam longed for the freedom of the sky, the wind beneath his wings, but he had given it all up happily to be with her, to be exactly where he was and always would be.

"Does it make you uncomfortable down here?" She asked hesitantly, stepping closer to him and tangling both of his hands in hers.

He shook his head, watching her, the curls that framed her face, the way her forehead creased in concern.

"Being underground does not offend my spirit the way it once did, though it is still slightly uncomfortable, it is something I can quickly grow used to," he assured her in a soft whisper. "I believe I could grow used to anything for you," he admitted.

She hesitated. "Even the loss of your wings? The things that brought you most joy?" She questioned sadly.

He faltered. The pain of losing his wings was something that would always linger within him. He would always yearn for them, an unquenched desire that would claw at him each day, but he knew too well that his desire for her would always be greater.

"Even my wings," he breathed, reaching up to cup her jaw in his hand gently, meeting her worried gaze.

"I'll have them when the sun comes up," he offered, trying to calm her.

She shook her head. "But you will not remember. You will be an animal in its truest form. You will know nothing of this life, your life with me. It's not the same; it will never be the same…"

"Stop this," he hushed her. "I knew what I was doing when I chose you. Nyx knew what she was doing when she both cursed and gifted me. Would your goddess, our goddess, ever do anything she knew would only bring us pain?" He questioned. "Her aim was to offer us a shred of happiness together, and Stevie Rae," he breathed. "I've never been happier," he admitted passionately.

"Neither have I," She beamed, letting her fears fall by the wayside.

"Good, because I only have until sunrise to revel in that happiness until I am gone for the day," he reminded her, saddened by the thought.

"I can feel it," she nodded. "Perhaps five minutes," she breathed, drawing herself into him, resting a hand on his chest softly.

"One good thing," he offered, "is that being a red vampire, you are so deeply consumed by sleep while the sun is up, that you will hardly have time to miss me before I am yours once again," he promised, pulling her into his arms.

She nodded, her spirits brightening once again at the thought.

He leaned down, placing a gentle kiss on her forehead, a gentle gesture of affection he had seem preformed so many times, but never been able to enact himself.

She sighed contently in his arms, wrapping her own arms around his torso.

"We've been through so much together," she whispered, thinking out loud and holding him, wishing he didn't have to leave, at least not yet. Not right now. There was so much that had yet to be said.

He nodded as he felt his defences weakening, the sun rising higher in the sky with each moment.

He pulled away from her reluctantly, glancing down at her, as she gazed at him from behind her lashes.

He pressed his lips to hers in a quick passionate show of affection before grazing her cheek softly.

"I love you," he whispered, before sighing and turning sharply, knowing that at any minute he would transform and leave her for the day. He walked away, unwilling to let her see him change back into a beast, and more than that, unwilling to watch the slow menacing tear that trickled down her cheek as she gazed after him, realizing the pain she felt was something she would endure for the rest of their lives together.

Stevie Rae blinked hard as he disappeared around the corner, taking a deep breath to calm herself. Despite the ache for him in her chest, she comforted herself with the knowledge that he would be back.

He would always be back.

And with that thought, she quickly changed into her pyjamas and then turned, collapsing onto her soft bed and hugging her pillow tightly. She longed for his arms around her, realizing that he would never lull her to sleep the way a normal boyfriend would be able to. He would never hold her as she drifted off, comfortable in his arms. But perhaps in the nights he spent with her, there would be time for that, even between saving the world with her best friend and trying to run a rouge group of fledging's, perhaps there would be time for the two of them in this mad race called life.

* * *

Stevie Rae woke groggily to a soft hand brushing the hair away from her face. Reluctantly, she opened her eyes to find Rephiam peering down at her affectionately.

She smiled, sitting up quickly. She pulled the covers up, realizing she was just in her PJ shorts and a tank top.

"How long have you been sitting there?" She asked, studying him as he sat on the edge of her bed. It appeared as though he had found a pair of jeans and a t-shirt before he ventured back, and was now dressed like a human, like a man. In fact, he looked so ordinary that it was easy to forget, if only for a moment, that he was the son of a fallen immortal.

She admired the way the t-shirt clung to his toned arms, trying to get used to seeing him like this. She was convinced in that moment that no man had ever looked better in a t-shirt; though it was true he looked even more beautiful without it.

"Only a few minutes," he reassured. "I did not wish to wake you," he admitted. "You needed your rest. You've been through a lot lately."

She sighed contently. "I'm so happy you're back," she whispered.

"How was your day…" she asked reluctantly, unsure how to phrase the question without upsetting him.

He shrugged, and she sensed he didn't want to talk about it, so she let the topic go.

Stevie Rae cuddled the blankets tightly as she patted the spot beside her on the bed, encouraging him to come and sit with her. He complied, hesitantly moving so join her as they leaned against the headboard.

She turned to him, reaching up to gently stroke his cheek. His eyes closed at the sensation and he let out a hiss, the sound reminding her slightly of his formal self and she smiled.

"I still can't believe you're here," she whispered.

"Why?" he breathed.

"Rephiam," she whispered, inching closer to him, placing her hand on his arm gently. "I've loved you for a long time," she admitted, gaging his reaction, his brows furrowing in concentration, that ancient wisdom he held shining through.

"Even when it was entirely…wrong, impossible even, I loved you," she continued. "I wasn't sure you felt the same way, I was never sure. And then, you gave everything up for me, you turned away from your father, the one person you love and hold above all else. You gave up your wings, everything for me, and I knew you truly loved me," she was still baffled by the words leaving her mouth.

"I guess what I'm saying is, I'm so happy in this moment that I'm finding it hard to believe," she admitted sheepishly, glancing down at the realization of how cheesy she was being.

He grasped her chin, pulling it up once more. "I feel the same way, my love," he breathed the words, and her heart stopped at the way he spoke them, with such passion, such conviction.

"You seem to forget what it is you have given up for me," he hinted, gesturing around the room, the tunnels they had been forced to move to. "You and your friends turned your back on a lot in order to accommodate me into your life, and I could not be more grateful," he whispered.

"You're worth it," was her quick response.

"I fear I am not," he shook his head.

"Nyx doesn't think so. I don't think so," she encouraged, wrapping her arms around him tightly.

"Rephiam, I don't know how it happened, but you are everything to me," she breathed, gripping him for all he was worth, with no intention of ever letting him go.

"As you are to me," he assured her, pulling her tightly into him as he reached down, leaving a gentle kiss on her lips.

She tasted like honey, and smelled like a warm summer day. She kissed him back urgently, responding to his touch instinctively.

He was new at this, never having had the use of lips before; he was experiencing all of these sensations and gestures for the first time.

"I do not really know what I am doing," he breathed, pulling away after a moment. He glanced away in embarrassment, a feature she had never really seen cross his face. He was confident, wise, the blood of an immortal ran through his veins, and when he was inexperienced in something, it clearly bothered him.

"Relax," she breathed, stroking his jaw in an attempt to calm his fears. "No one really does, it's instinct," She explained. "Just…be," She whispered.

"Besides, I'm not a hell of a lot more experienced than you are, trust me, "She whispered, touching her lips to his again gently.

"Where did you find this shirt," she chuckled, gripping it as she kissed him harder, moving to pull it up and over his torso.

He watched her curiously, helping her before throwing it aside. "You don't like it?" He questioned.

"No," she breathed, "I love it," she smiled.

"I just like you better without it," Stevie Rae reached forward, running her hands along the toned muscles of his chest, stroking the smooth skin greedily.

"You like the human body the goddess has granted me?" He asked hesitantly, unsure of himself.

"Are you kidding, Rephiam?" She chuckled. "You're beautiful."

He blinked, grabbing her hand as he held it against his chest. "You are beautiful," he countered, running a finger through one of her golden locks.

"I still do not know how you could want the beast within me, but I am honoured that you do," his brows creased as he studied her. "I am so lucky."

Stevie Rae's heart melted at his words and she lunged at him, both of them falling back onto the mattress as she captured his lips with hers once more. She slipped her tongue through his teeth and he allowed her access, tangling his with hers. He placed his strong hands firmly on her waste, holding her still as her hands found his hair.

She deepened the kiss and he responded enthusiastically, his hands traveling the length of her torso, and back again, her shirt slipping higher with each movement.

Rephiam felt the warmth of her skin beneath his fingertips and was unable to stop himself from caressing it slowly. He closed his eyes, revelling in the pleasure, the excitement and happiness he was feeling. The sensation of Stevie Rae, the idea of her wanting him, was more than he could ever comprehend and it brought him so much joy.

A moment later, Stevie Rae pulled back, sitting up, her hips touching his and he slipped his hands lower, supporting her lower back as he gazed at her curiously.

She bit her lip, hesitantly catching his gaze, before she reached down and slipped her shirt over her head.

"What are you doing?" he breathed. She had never been this exposed in front of him…not since that night.

"Rephiam, I love you," she repeated, watching the ways his eyes struggled not to devour her bare torso before him, how they struggled to stay locked with hers.

"And I you, But—"

"But nothing. I want to be with you," she admitted, biting her lip even harder, terrified of his answer. What if he didn't really want her like that?

"You—want me—that way?" He asked hesitantly, his brows furrowing, she could see his mind reeling.

She nodded.

"I…no one has ever wanted to be with me like that. The experience I have, it was not ever with a willing participant, and you know this. Women have always been repulsed by me…" he breathed, his voice cracking.

"I'm not," she assured him. "And I never have been," she admitted sheepishly.

"Stevie Rae," he said seriously, his serious side shining through once more.

"Are you sure about this?" He asked solemnly, his gaze calculating, like it could see right through her.

"I've never been so sure in my life," she asserted, swallowing the butterflies that filled her stomach.

"Though, perhaps this is the part you are better acquainted with than I am," she admitted, blushing as she glanced away. He reached up and grabbed her arm, pulling her down on top of him, their bare torsos colliding. He cupped her burning cheek gently.

"You've never…"

She shook her head furiously, catching his gentle gaze.

"Closest I ever came…" she whispered, "Well, it wasn't even Dallas," she admitted shamefully. "It was that night, the night you saved me…"

She closed her eyes tightly, wincing at the memory and a pang shot through Rephiam at the thought of that terrible evening.

He brushed her cheek softly. "Let us try not to remember that night," he whispered, inwardly cringing.

"It's so hard to forget it," she admitted, her eyes meeting his desperately.

"Stevie Rae," he whispered. "You know that I will not hurt you that way, the way darkness did...right?"

She nodded. "I know. You could never hurt me," she asserted, knowing the words were possibly the truest she'd ever spoken.

"There was a time when I could have," he added darkly, gulping as the memories of his past haunted him.

"That's in the past, and so is my encounter with darkness," she shook her head. "So let's leave it there, okay. You will be my first, and my last, and the only thing that matters," she pleaded, imploring him to just kiss her and make her forget it all, to hold her and make her feel wanted, and show her the love he had for her.

To Stevie Rae's relief, that was exactly what he did. He always seemed to know what she needed before she did, whether it was through their imprint or merely the love they shared, she was grateful for it.

He wrapped his arms around her, holding her closely as he took over, his lips meeting hers once more, quickly getting the hang of things.

He ran his hands up the length of her torso, from her pant line to her neck, pausing briefly at the crevice between her breasts. She arched into him, the warmth of his touch driving her mad.

She reached forward, exploring his chest with her fingers, running her hands along every inch of it. Rephiam closed his eyes at the sensation, still getting used the these feelings stirring inside him, still getting used to the body of a man and the way that body reached to Stevie Rae's closeness.

Sexual gratification was much the same as it has always been for him, yet somehow, it was different. He felt more alive, he felt desirable, but most of all he loved knowing what he could do for Stevie Rae in this body. He loved knowing that she found him pleasing, stimulating even.

Rephiam grabbed her hips tightly, rolling them so that she was beneath him on the mattress. She gazed up at him with loving, nervous eyes and he stared back, in awe at the woman before him and the way his heart fluttered at the sight of her. She was beautiful.

He touched his lips to hers before hesitantly reached down to stroke the skin of her torso, moving to her bra clad breasts. Stevie Rae let out a rough moan and arched into his touch.

She gazed up at him hesitantly, before reaching around to undo her bra clasp. Rephiam's eyes locked with hers and stayed there, reading the apprehension on her face.

Stevie Rae pulled her bra away, tossing it aside, her hands shaking with the motion. She was afraid of what he would think, if he would find her beautiful, if she would disappoint him. Rephiam broke her steady gaze and glanced down, taking in the sight of her beneath him. Her nerves calmed at the loving look in his eyes as he reached down, fisting one of her breasts gently, before placing a tender kiss on her chest.

"You're breathtaking," He whispered, taking one of her nipples in his mouth, sucking on it gently.

Stevie Rae moaned at the sensation, her eyes closing as his warm touch danced across her skin. He gazed up at her, breathless at what he was doing to her, at the look of pleasure on her face. He watched her whither beneath him, in awe of her beauty and need for him.

Stevie Rae felt her need for him growing with each passing second, her yearning for his touch unwavering.

"I've been dreaming about this for so long," she whispered quietly and he caught her eye, a shocked glimmer in his.

He gazed up at her through lust filled eyes, his voice rough when he spoke. "I've only been human for a day," he questioned.

She nodded. His eyes widened in understanding.

"How could you want me like this when I was like that…"

"It never mattered to me," she breathed, reaching up to capture her lips with his.

She tugged on his bottom lip, running her hands down his back as their bodies pressed together, her chest colliding with his naked one, causing her to gasp.

Rephiam pushed himself tighter against her, rocking his hips into hers as she traced the muscles of his back in a tantalizing motion, before her hands slipped forward towards his pant line.

She reached for the zipper, undoing it before pushing the jeans down a bit. She glanced up, catching his eye as he used his arms to support himself above her, encasing her in between the muscles of his biceps.

"Stevie Rae," he breathed. "Are you absolutely sure about this," he asked once again.

She nodded without hesitation. "Just be careful, kay?" She bit her lip nervously, trusting he would be cautious and gentle with her.

"I know how unpleasant it can be for a woman their first time," he assured her. "I am not naïve to these things," he explained, recalling the way his father used to prefer virgin maidens in his lustful endeavours, and how on occasion Rephiam had been offered a few of his own, as a means of satisfying his own needs.

He shook his head shamefully at the memory now, unable to comprehend the monster he had once been. His own mother had been a victim of one of Kalona's endeavours, and he had been able to forget that like it meant nothing.

He glanced down and saw a blush rising on Stevie Rae's cheeks.

"I cannot promise that it won't hurt, but I can only promise that it is not my wish and never will be to cause you pain. I can only swear to you that I'll do everything I can to bring you only pleasure," he breathed, kissing her neck gently.

He felt her nod gratefully, as his lips moved down her torso. He kicked his jeans off, before reaching for her pyjama shorts. She lifted her hips up and helped him wiggle the shorts down her hips quickly.

She reached up and devoured his lips once more. Rephiam travelled a hand up her torso, skimming her side and kneading her breasts hungrily as the explored one another. He felt her nipples harden further beneath his touch and quickly realized his growing arousal and the pace at which he was losing control, needing her more with each passing second.

He reached down, fingering her panties. He felt her stiffen beneath him and understood her nervousness. Taking control in an attempt to calm her, he slipped them down swiftly, discarding them quickly. He ran his hand up her thigh steadily, slowly, until he reached the spot between her legs.

He kissed his way down her jaw as he rubbed her gently, causing her to bite her lip to stifle a loud moan.

"Feel good?" He leaned down to ask in her ear.

She nodded fervently, imploring him not to stop.

Stevie Rae felt herself growing moist as she thought about what he was doing to her, what Rephiam was doing to her.

She reached up and wrapped her arms around his Neck tightly, clinging to him. Her breath hitched against his ear and he reached down, groping her breasts again, lightly at first and then rougher as her need grew.

She reached down impatiently, playing with the hem of his boxer briefs.

She looked up and he caught her gaze just as she reached down, stroking him softly through the material. She was unsure, hesitant, but the way he stared at her when she did it, swallowing hard before letting out a low throaty growl, encouraged her.

Stevie Rae timidly reached inside the material, and wrapped her hand around his hardened member. She pulled on it once, a hard, long stroke and he gasped, hanging his head with the pleasure as he struggled for a steady breath.

She twisted her hand quickly and he grabbed it, stopping her abruptly. "Those hands of yours," he rasped, "are like magic. They make me weak," he admitted.

He gripped his briefs and slid them down and off, finally leaving them both bare before each other. She glanced at him, the beauty of his body, how large he was, and was overcome with both fear and excitement at once.

He leaned down, their bodies touched, chest to chest, hip to hip. She felt his arousal against her upper leg and rocked her hips into him.

He hissed before gently reaching down to brush the hair from her face, placing a tender kiss to her forehead.

Their eyes met, and he told her everything she needed to hear without even saying it. Through their bond she sensed his own fear, his own fear of hurting her, his fears about whether she truly wanted him and if she would only inevitably regret this later. He feared she would forever regret giving herself to a monster.

"I've never regretted you yet," she whispered in an encouraging manner, cupping his jaw gently before placing a soft kiss to his lips.

"I want you," she breathed in his ear as she pulled away.

She watched his internal struggle wage as he glanced at her, devouring her body once more, ravishing it with his eyes. He leaned down placing a tender kiss to her shoulder, smelling her skin there, the intoxication scent.

"You want to make love to a monster, a beast," he mumbled in disbelief.

"A man," she corrected pushing her body into his once more, aching for his touch.

"I know you won't hurt me," she encouraged.

"It has always been in my nature to revel in pain. What if I simply lose control, the best inside of me taking over? What if I cannot contain myself and am too rough with you? What if-"

She silenced him with a deep kiss as she shifted slightly beneath him, her rock hard nipples grazing his chest and she bit her lip at the sensation.

Rephiam relented, deepening their kiss in an attempt to distract her, as he grabbed himself, stroking a few times quickly before pressing up against her entrance

She was so small, so frail…so breakable to him.

His lips continued to move against hers as he pressed himself into her just slightly, the tip of his manhood entering her slowly.

He felt her stiffen beneath him at the intrusion, her body rigid.

He pulled away, catching her gaze as she stared up at him with fearful eyes. He ran his hand along her arm gently in a soothing gesture as he pushed in a bit further.

He saw her wince beneath him, her eyes closing tightly and a pang shot through his chest.

"Rephiam," she whispered.

"Yes, love?" He asked concerned.

"Maybe this is like…ripping off a Band-Aid, the faster you get it over with, the less it really hurts?" She offered. "One swift movement?" she gazed at him hopefully.

His past experience told him there was no painless way to do this, but he sighed, deciding to appease her and unwilling to tell her otherwise.

He nodded, leaning over her, as he pushed her hand down against the bed, intertwining her fingers with his.

He studied her face, hesitating before gripping her hips and pushing all the way into her with a great deal of force. She squeezed his hand tightly, almost bone crushingly hard as she cried out. He stopped, waiting as watched her.

Her eyes were squeezed tightly shut, a few silent tears falling from her closed lids.

His heart broke. "I'm sorry," he whispered, reaching down, to wipe her falling tears.

She whimpered quietly.

"I'm fine," she breathed through a fake smile. She pressed a gentle kiss to his hand.

"Just keep going," she persisted.

He studied her for a long moment, unsure if they should stop.

At last he reluctantly moved inside of her, pulling out slowly before pushing back in. He glanced down, realizing there was a small amount of blood and frowned.

He found it hard to succumb to the pleasure he was receiving when it was so obvious she was in pain. She felt so good, the feeling of him inside her was beyond compare, but her distress was disheartening.

At last, she opened her eyes, meeting his worried gaze.

"You okay?" he whispered.

She nodded, wincing slightly each time he pushed inside of her.

Stevie Rae had never felt such pain in her life, but knew it was inevitable. She did not blame him.

The pain lessened with each movement, and he reached down, stroking the sensitive area between her legs in an attempt to sooth her and bring her pleasure of her own.

Her eyes fluttered at his movements, her arousal spiked.

"Mmm," she moaned, encouraging him.

He picked up his slow pace slightly, moving into her move furiously as his fingers continued their ministrations.

"Better?" He whispered, his concern quickly fading.

She nodded, enthusiastically as the pain started to turn to pleasure.

He reached down, running a gentle hand across her chest and torso, teasing the skin there.

She rose her hips encouragingly, imploring him to fill her even deeper.

He gripped her hips to steady her as he drove into her again, quicker, rougher and deeper than before.

An electric current of pleasure shot through her. "Rephiam," she whispered.

He lost himself in the look of pleasure on her face, in what he was doing to her, the way her hands slipped from his lower back and lower still as he moved his body closer to hers, their chests touching. She gripped him, encouraging him, lifting her hips to his, and meeting his strides.

She felt herself getting close, and reached up, grabbing him for a slow lingering kiss.

"I love you," she breathed, as she pulled away. She reached up to tenderly push the stray hair from his face where it was slick with sweat from the effort he has exerted in both trying not to hurt her and to please her.

She gave him a grateful tender look as he filled her again, a long and hard stroke.

"I'm close," he warned her, kissing his way down her torso lovingly.

"Me too," she breathed, pressing her body forward against his. She ran her hands down his arm softly.

She felt him tensing and could tell he was holding out, that he wouldn't succumb to release until she was finished.

Rephiam glanced down at her, the way her breath hitched each time their hips met, the way she had started fisting the sheets of the bed in pleasure as she bit her lip. That he could make her feel this was drove him mad.

He was throbbing, lost in her and close to release.

"Harder," Stevie Rae encouraged, close to her own climax.

He complied, pulling out of her before filling her with three more long and purposeful strides before he felt her clench around his swollen erection, losing herself in ecstasy as she cried out softly, closing her eyes in pleasure.

Rephiam finally let himself go, thrusting into her a few more times before spilling inside of her, finding his own pleasurable release, stronger than anything he'd experienced.

He panted; pulling out of her, the blood that coated him caught his eye once again. He glanced up, noticing that Stevie Rae's gaze had followed his.

Her cheeks burned. "Sorry," she whispered, but he wasn't entirely sure what she was apologizing for.

"No," Rephiam whispered through a pained expression. "No, I'm sorry," he breathed. "I hurt you," he asserted regretfully.

She met his eyes, shaking her head as she pulled him down onto her, both of them collapsing in exhaustion.

"No, you were perfect Rephiam. Thank you," she breathed as he fell onto the bed beside her, pulling her tightly against him. She turned in his arms, facing him. His eyes gazed back at her, the all-knowing eyes that held such power, such wisdom, and the eyes that always saw right through her to her very core.

"I cannot believe how lucky I am," he whispered, squeezing her tightly.

Her heart leapt.

"I love you," he breathed, needing her to know how true his words were, how passionately he felt for her. He wasn't even sure love was a strong enough word for how he cherished her.

"Rephiam, I love you too, I love everything about you," she held his gaze. "Everything," she repeated. "I even love the beast in you."

A disgusted look crossed his face. "How can you say that, my love," he breathed as he gazed over her shoulder.

"Rephiam, the danger that surrounds you, the predator you are, is part of the reason I find you so irresistible," she whispered, cupping his jaw, forcing him to meet her gaze again. "Rephiam, the animalistic side of you is sexy, as it is in any man, and don't be afraid to share it with me, even in my bed. You won't hurt me and I won't break," she whispered.

"It's okay to get a little wild sometimes," she winked. "It's okay to be the powerful son of an immoral that you are. Never forget who you are or suppress that in an effort to appease me. It is _you_ that I love, not a tamer version. It is your dangerous side and your gentle touch I cannot get enough of," she smiled.

Rephiam's heart tightened at her words. "I do not understand how you so easily accept everything about me, the good and the bad, but I appreciate it, more than you'll ever truly know," he breathed, pushing her hard against the mattress as he devoured her with a long, hard kiss, his possessive hands gripping her body, pressing her wrists to the mattress.

Stevie Rae groaned at his dominance, his need for her, the power and commanding presence that surrounded him.

She knew that their first time together would be slightly awkward, that he would have to be careful, that it would be difficult to let lose, but she ached for something more, for him to unleash the beast within in take her in the way she knew he could.

"Rephiam," she whispered hoarsely in his ear, as his hands roughly and possessively groped her naked flesh beneath him.

"Yes, love."

"Show me your dark side," she whispered hoarsely.

He only hesitated for a moment, before gathering her furiously in his arms and throwing the full weight of his lust into his actions as he left the most hungry and passionate hiss on her lips that she had ever experienced.

Stevie Rae's stomach fluttered in excitement and anticipation. This was all she ever wanted—him. The promise of forever with him made her heart leap, her breath catching in her throat.

She desperately wished she never had to leave her room again, that come morning, Rephiam wasn't leaving her for another day, and in those hours they spent together, tangled in the sheets, she was able to forget it all, and to believe that such an eternal happiness was possible, truly possible.

**The End.**

* * *

**It has been almost a year since I posted the first half of this, and I am terribly sorry. I posted this a week before my life changed forever. The surgery I mentioned was my fathers, he was diagnosed with cancer, it was supposed to remove the tumour and cure him, but long story short everything spiralled out of control and he worsened before passing away in October. It's just not been easy to get back into writing, but after Awakened came out and Rephiam was finally granted his human form, I found the perfect excuse to finally come back to this piece and finish it, exploring the other aspects I so badly wanted to. It is now finished.**

**What did you guys think? Leave me some love.**

**-Meg**


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